


Freedom

by Airen_Thiren



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: ALL THE FLUFF, Bright writing, Drabble, F/M, Freedom, Harmony Discord Server, Harmony hugs are best hugs, Harmony kisses are best kisses, More Fluff, Overlapping POVs, Short sweet and so dang fluffy, multiple POVs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:09:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25082155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Airen_Thiren/pseuds/Airen_Thiren
Summary: At the moment of victory, Harry feels something that he's never felt before.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Harry Potter
Comments: 1
Kudos: 50





	Freedom

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Independence Day, my fellow Americans! Happy Treason Day, my friends across the pond! I had to write something for today, but seeing as how my OTP is composed of two Brits, I thought to take a slightly different approach to this theme. Hope you enjoy!

It felt odd. The deed was done, and in a way, he did feel like he won. And yet there was something odd to everything. He could not tell if this oddity of the moment was good or bad, but whatever it was, it was something he had never felt before. And yet he couldn’t quite name this feeling, whatever it was.

Harry stood over the space where Voldemort once occupied, as the last dust that was his foe was scattered with the wind. He could hear the cheers start to sound within the castle, and then he turned and saw some of his friends start inching their way forward. Of those that were coming toward him, one was sprinting at full pelt in his direction, her wild hair flowing behind her. His legs began moving before his mind told them to, and soon, he too was running in her direction.

Hermione met him in the middle with the fiercest hug he had ever received from her, whatever inertia she still had sent the pair spinning in place with Harry as the center. Her arms gripped his neck and pulled him so close he thought that they would merge into one being. His own arms, though still sore and aching, were coiled around her middle and pulling her as close as he could. Her heard her softly crying into his neck and felt her damp tears soaking the spot where she had buried her face. Beneath that crying, he heard the tinge of relieved laughter. It was those little huffs that had him smiling and coaxing a small chuckle from himself. Soon, both were laughing in relieved joy.

Their spin had finally slowed and stilled, but as Harry set Hermione down on the firm stone, neither let the other go. They remained in that close embrace and just stood there, absorbing each other’s presence. Neither felt the other withdraw at all, if anything, they were still trying to pull the other even closer. Air was secondary to this hug they were sharing, and Harry knew that if there were ever a way to remain in Hermione’s arms for all eternity, he would take it in an instant.

Eventually, they did start to pull away, but it was so slow and reluctant that it might well have taken them a whole minute before they could gain a clear view of their companion’s eyes. Time once more slowed for them, as all that had just happened settled in their very beings. It drifted into them like sand in a flowing river, slowly coming to rest deep within them.

Voldemort was dead. They had won.

Slowly, the truth of those two statements started to glow in their hearts. That glow built until it reached their eyes, where it started to shine. The shining realization behind their eyes, in the depths of their irises, surged until it spread over the whole of their faces, beginning to radiate in brilliant happiness. As wide smiles threatened to split their faces, a warmth like sunlight lit their nerves and beamed right back into their hearts, redoubling upon that first glow. And then, a new feeling flowed beneath the rapturous joy, slowly yet easily building upon it.

This new feeling was the same Harry had felt at the moment Voldemort died. He felt his shoulders rise, like a weight had been taken from them. He noticed his feet no longer felt like they were being guided outside of his own will. His spirit felt as though it had been unshackled and was now free to go its own way.

Free…

He was free. Free from the prophecy, from the war, from being a hero. He was _FREE_. He felt _**FREE!**_

Harry locked eyes with Hermione, the new truth of Harry Potter filling him to his core. Another wide smile lit up his face, seeming to outshine the sun that was just now piercing the dark clouds. In a narrow beam of its warm light, they stood as Harry leaned toward the woman who had been with him throughout his whole life while he had shouldered this burden of fate. Hermione rose up to meet him in the middle her arms once more winding around his neck, but this time in gentle assurance than fierce desperation. Their lips were barely a breath away when the words were spoken.

“I am free.”

“You are free, Harry.” Hermione’s accompanying smile and nod filled Harry with even more love than he knew what to do with, so he pressed his lips to hers and breathed it into her. She sighed in return and deepened their kiss, accepting his love and returning her own.

Hermione felt the same freedom fill her along with the love the she felt for Harry, each building off the other. Both feelings swirled and gathered in her heart and soul, before surging outward with an explosive force and sent every nerve in her tingling. Coupled with the wondrous sensation of Harry’s lips gliding across hers, Hermione trembled in delight.

When they slowly parted from their kiss, Hermione saw the crowd coming closer to them. Ron was beaming with joy, an arm around Luna and Neville as he limped between them. For her own part, Luna’s usual dreamy expression was seemingly lighter, as though she had truly transcended all sorrow. Neville seemed to glow with a new confidence. Ginny was smiling too, her eyes sparkling with relief at the survival of her friends. All around Harry and Hermione, their friends and families drew upon them. All their faces shone with happiness and relief.

And Hermione could tell they all felt the same as Harry and her. The same freedom seemed to connect her to everybody she had ever cared about. It wasn’t just Harry that was free, or even just Harry and her. It was everybody that had stood with them or behind them. Every man, woman, or child in Wizarding Britain was now free of the tyranny of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Everyone who took part in the battle was free from the fight. The Golden Trio was free from their quest. And Harry was free from his fate.

Oh what joy freedom was.


End file.
